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Former G F Pickles & Sons

Other Name

Sandhurst Rolling Stock Works

Location

Myers Street,, BENDIGO VIC 3550 - Property No B6128

File Number

B6128

Level

Local

Statement of Significance

lThe former Sandhurst Rolling Stock Works consist generally of a timber framed gable roofed structure with approximate 25 metre frontage to Myers Street and formerly extending across the site of the petrol filling station at the Williamstown Street corner. Perimeter walls are part brick of an early date and part bush pole with sawn timber girts and corrugated iron cladding. The Myers Street frontage has been rebuilt. The roof is double gabled with continuous lanterns and is carried on timber king post trusses with metal connectors.
The early south wall has two arches (single point and three centred segmental) now bricked up but formerly linking the present buildings with the demolished buildings on the petrol filling station site and circular tapering shaft and decorated cap at the north-west corner of the site.
Inside, workmen's original sewered toilets and wash basin are in situ with "Bendigo" on the glazed earthenware pans. The base of a substantially removed brick structure, possibly an engine housing, is restrained by bull head rail presumably obtained from the Bendigo rail line since it was used rarely elsewhere and was out of vogue by 1873. An early timber lined office is in situ.
The Sandhurst Rolling Stock Co. formerly G F Pickles and Sons, was Bendigo's largest builder of railway rolling stock and in Ellis' estimation by 1890, Australia's "largest carriage factory". It compares with other Victoria rolling stock manufacturers, lncluding Wright and Edwards (Sunshine) and P Bevan. They may be the mostly substantial remains of a privately owned country based rolling stock works.
In Bendigo, they are important as a surviving nineteenth century industrial site and for their prominent chimney stack situated within the main commercial area of the City and recalling other similar structures formerly located in the vicinity and visible in the 1886 "Birdseye View of Sandhurst".
Classified: 25/06/1990

Group

Transport - Rail